Chapter Seven: Nightmare Nights

Defender froze as he took in the scene before him. Three unicorns surrounded the throne, one on the left, on the right and one directly behind it, no doubt hidden from sight from the other, less than pleased guards before the throne. All of them had sharp, thin blades. Shivs, if he remembered the proper name for such weaponry.

Oh Celestia, the damn idea is spreading...

"None of you shall move. Perhaps you should begin praying for your pathetic wannabe princess now. She's not going to last much longer!"

One of the turncoats was talking, a sneer plastered across his face. Defender let his eyes dart around the room, trying to find some way of strategically taking them all out at once. But no matter how much he searched, he couldn't find one at all. From his vantage point, he couldn't see the slumped body of the guard who was attacked previously.

Dammit, what the hell do I do!

He was running out of time. The leader, or who he believed was the leader of the insurgents, was placing his blade to Luna's throat. He looked at his hooves in frustration, then his eyes went wide.

Fuck it.

"Now die usurping trash!"

The leader smiled triumphantly as he went to draw the blade across Luna's throat. A thin rivulet of blood started to flow before...

He screamed in pain and shock, losing his control over the magic holding the knife, the blade dropping to the chair's base, and clutched at his hoof. Embedded through the entirety of the muscle about halfway down his forehoof quivered a single, deep blue, metal shoe.

The shoe of the midnight guardian.

The other traitor on the left side of the throne looked at his leader in absolute shock, his own magic wavering. The one behind the chair pricked his ears up and looked to the leader, careful to stay out of sight before yelping in shock as another blue boot smacked him full in the eyes and he went down. The higher point of the shoe had struck his temple first, and he was out cold. The leader spun around and pointed at the seriously pissed of Stalwart Defender.

"Kill him! I'll take care of her royal fake!"

The only remaining uninjured turncoat nodded, swallowing hard, and walked around the throne and advanced upon Defender, his shiv held out menacingly. Defender growled at his attacker and advanced himself, sizing up his enemy. Hoof to hoof combat was standard training for a guard, so he knew that this guard knew just as much as he did, plus he had a weapon. Defender was missing two boots and had no weapon on his person.

Wait him out Defender, wait him out...

His enemy acted first.

The traitor thrust forward with the shiv, diving forward himself, planning to overwhelm Defender with a flurry of attacks. Defender spared a small smile before charging himself, ducking under the shiv and flaring his wings. There was a flare of sparks as the blade screeched along his helmet before he felt his muscles bunch up like a tightly coiled spring and he leapt up, head first, at the approaching guard. This was not a move one learned as a royal guard, so naturally the guard didn't expect it. His eyes bugged out as Defender slammed into his chin, jerking him up onto his rear hooves, trying desperately to stay up. Defender continued up, using his momentum to spin as his wings arrested his ascent, slamming the other guard with a vicious kick from both of his hind hooves, backflipping back onto the ground and landing on his hooves, wings flared. The unicorn in guard armour was flung downwards straight into the ground. There was a crack as his breastplate was cracked, and a more sickening crack as his head hit the floor. His eyes glazed over instantly. He too was out cold.

The leader growled in frustration and finally yelled out in pain. He'd finally extracted the shoe from his hoof and he let the blood soaked thing drop to the ground. He turned away from Luna to face Defender, scraping his hoof across the ground threateningly. The rest of the guards simply stared in shock. What had happened, when it had taken place, had happened so fast most of them were still trying to comprehend it.

"You're too late to stop us. You might have beaten them, but you cannot defeat me before I-"

His eyes went wide as his words died out, replaced with a bloody gurgle. He jerked spasmodically as the rest of his shiv was shoved through his throat, the end of the blade protruding through his windpipe. The traitor fell, bloody bubbles frothing from his mouth. Behind him stood the young Pegasus guard from earlier, his hooves shaky and panting heavily.

"Not... on my watch... you prick.."

The young guard collapsed. There was silence in the throne room. Four bodies on the floor, two metal shoes joining them.

---

Luna looked sternly upon her single guard. Celestia was in attendance, as was the only other guard Luna knew and trusted. Stonewall was at attendance, Brave Wing having been admitted into the medical wing as soon as possible. On his part, Stalwart Defender sat at Luna's hooves, head held low, looking intently at the floor.

"Stalwart Defender. I distinctly remember telling you that today was to be your day off, am I mistaken?"

Defender shook his head.

"No ma'am, you're not mistaken."

"So you remember me telling you, ordering you, to have the day off?"

"Yes ma'am."

She frowned at the downturned head of her personal guard.

"So, please explain to me why you came to the throne room, to duty?"

Defender gulped nervously. He had no idea what he was going to say, so he simply opened his mouth to speak.

"I... didn't know what to do ma'am. With all due respect, I had nowhere to go and nothing to do with my time; my work is everything to me. By giving me a day off, you deprived me of the only reason I was here."

Luna paused, the next part of her questioning rendered utterly useless. Behind her, Celestia stifled a giggle behind her hoof and Stonewall smiled.

"I..."

She coughed and cleared her throat loudly.

"Stalwart Defender. You have committed an act of insubordination in betraying my orders. This is an act punishable by demotion or dismissal from service."

Defender winced, the consequences of his actions finally occurring to him. Luna smiled.

"However, due to your insubordinate actions and the heroics of a critically injured guard, the life of myself and potentially several other guards have been spared from the attackers. Due to these extraneous circumstances..."

Defender's ears pricked up, his head rising ever so slightly.

"Due to the circumstances I have decided to keep you on active duty."

He looked up suddenly. Luna giggled slightly.

"However. There are conditions. Conditions brought on by your insubordination."

The Pegasus guard nodded slightly and looked at her.

"Yes ma'am?"

"It's simple. Due to your insubordination you will not leave my side under any circumstances besides that of going off duty upon which you shall eat what you wish, sleep and get ready for work the next day. Do we have an understanding?"

Behind her, Celestia once more hid a smile behind her hoof. Stonewall merely continued smiling, directing it at Defender. Defender pushed down the urge to smile.

"Yes ma'am, perfectly clear ma'am."

She smiled, pleased with herself.

"Good. Stonewall, on the topic of your recruit."

Stonewall straightened.

"Brave Wing Ma'am."

"Yes. In thanks for his heroic efforts, I'd like him promoted to a higher rank. I'm afraid I don't know the ranks very well, due to my absence for a thousand years, so I'll leave that up to you."

The old guard smiled and nodded.

"Yes ma'am, I'll see to it personally as soon as he leaves the hospital."

"Good. See to it that you do. As for you Defender, get that scratch out of your helmet and meet me at my room. I still have things to discuss with you."

---

"YOU IDIOT!"

Defender sat, staring at the furious princess as she pounded ineffectually at his chest with both forehooves. He's just walked in as she'd demanded he did and she began hitting him.

"Majesty, I-"

"Shutup! Shutup!"

Instantly he clammed up, letting her continue to pound angrily at his armour. He hadn't expected anything like this. He let her continue to yell and scream insults at him, some of them rather hurtful, others he couldn't even understand the dialect was so old. At one point he could swear that she started speaking in another language. Finally deciding enough was enough, he caught both of her hooves in his own as she tried to strike him. She paused and looked at him furiously.

"What are you doing!"

"Your Majesty, what do you care? I'm simply a guard, it's part of the job to be in danger."

She paused. Why had she reacted so badly? Why did she start going off her bean at him anyway? She didn't understand, she was acting like a lunatic.

By the goddess, you're acting like a spoilt foal Luna!

She pulled her hooves out of his grip, squeezing them tightly to her chest.

Still playing the filly huh?

She blinked at him, unsure how to answer his question. He looked at her, awaiting her answer. She shrugged and replied quietly.

"You had me worried. You're the only decent conversation I've had in a good thousand years not counting my sister. I don't want to see you go, because then I'll be lonely again."

The stallion felt his heart melt for the younger princess. That must plague her every day, being alone. She was alone for a thousand years, she didn't want to be alone anymore. He couldn't even begin to understand the magnitude of the intense feelings she had towards being alone with naught but her thoughts for company. He smiled softly and tapped the upset alicorn gently upon the head with his nose. When she looked up he spoke softly.

"I have no plans on dying just yet your majesty. Don't think me to leave for some time yet."

She smiled at him slightly, then frowned once more.

"Perhaps I should have taken this whole 'Luna Republic, Solar Empire' thing more seriously than I did. And picked my guards more carefully."

Defender nodded gravely, his face suddenly serious.

"Yes, Although I had not known that they'd already infiltrated Canterlot. I suppose I should have seen it coming."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. A thousand years of Celestia's rule tends to imprint itself. The first ponies to harbour any sort of hatred towards you would be the ones who now serve two princesses when they still only believe they should be serving one."

Luna shifted uncomfortably.

"What... What would you suggest?"

"Honestly? Your Majesty, you need more soldiers loyal to you. I will always be by your side, but if I'm incapable of providing you with any sort of defence through sickness or debilitating injuries, you're going to need a replacement or twelve."

Luna started, surprised she hadn't thought of that herself.

Of course, I never thought of it because...

"But, Defender..."

He looked at her, his face still grave.

"Yes you Majesty?"

She hesitated for a moment before speaking plaintively, brushing one forehoof against his.

"You'll always be here with me, right?"

"I..."

Defender paused, utterly entranced by possibly the most adorable and simultaneously one of the saddest sights he'd ever seen. Luna looked at him, her face as pleading as her voice had been. It screamed fear, and hope. His heart melted and he smiled.

"Of course Princess, If that's how you wish it. I'd still feel better with a larger contingency however. And I think that we should start by recruiting the two guards I know we can trust."

Luna tilted her head slightly to the side, curious.

"Who might they be?"

---

"What? You want to take two of my guards and induct them into your own private little order? On what grounds?"

Celestia looked down at Stalwart Defender in genuine surprise. He'd sought her out during the day, so he was ragged and tired. He felt a stab of irritation but forced it down.

Creating a public incident would not help your reputation Stal.

"Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, but I believe the answer is quite clear. Whilst I relish the chance to be the personal bodyguard for her majesty Princess Luna, I may not always be there when she needs me. For that reason, I'd like to formally request that you allow me to take Sergeant Stonewall and lieutenant Brave Wing into the midnight guardians for your sister's own protection."

Celestia blinked slowly, then asked cautiously.

"Defender, whilst you have a point, may I ask that, if you're here, who is guarding my sister?"

"The self same guards I am requesting a transfer in services for Ma'am. I know I can trust them both, and so I thought them best for the job. I'm also told on good authority that Stonewall is an excellent judge of character."

He shifted uncomfortably. This is where he got uncomfortable with his request.

"Ma'am, allow me to make this clear, I will do literally anything to get these two into my contingency. Any favour, any service, any duty, even errands. I want these two in the Midnight Guard and I will not take no for an answer. Name your price."

Celestia raised her brow at this last statement. She knew he was blunt, but this bordered on ridiculous. She resisted the urge to giggle.

"Persistent aren't we Defender? And what, pray tell, would make you think I'd be willing to give up one of the best new recruits and one of my most trusted guards to your command?"

Without missing a beat, batting an eyelid or even twitching, Defender replied back.

"The safety of your sister."

---

"Alright. Stonewall, Brave Wing."

The two newly inducted Midnight Guardians stood at attention, Defender in front of them. They were all in full armour and Brave Wing looked very excited. Defender smiled at the younger guard.

"As of today, you're Midnight Guardians like myself. You have received your armour and, after this briefing, will be ready to start duty. Now, I know what you've been taught as a royal guard. Blank, emotionless and generally, as her Majesty puts it, 'boring'."

He looked over the both of them, still smiling.

"I want you to forget all about that. Her majesty Luna prefers that her guards remain themselves so long as they can still get the job done. I know you two can do that. Stonewall, this has been proven by your studious diligence to your duties for the past twenty years. Wing, your loyalty was proven the moment you risked your life to successfully save Princess Luna."

Brave Wing flushed, looking down at his hooves. Stonewall glanced over at him quickly, smiling.

"You did good with that son. Real good."

Defender let the lieutenant bask a little before continuing.

"There are a few things in your lifestyle that will have to change. For one thing, You will have to alter your sleeping habits to be nocturnal. Late nights, or mornings in this case, and early rises may be needed as well. Constantly changing shifts at the moment mean that you will frequently be tired since there are only three of us. You may frequently be called into her room to talk. Do not, I repeat, do not decline this. Her Majesty likes to chat and will chat about various things. At least try to seem interested in everything, she gets so disheartened when you don't. The more she likes you, the more often you'll be called in. Understood?"

The pair nodded. Brave Wing was frowning in thought.

"Hey Defender?"

"Yes Wing?"

"How often are you called in to chat?"

He shrugged.

"Almost every night, why?"

"Wow. She must really like you sir."

Defender paused and thought about what Brave Wing had said. Then shook his head.

"Nah, I was just the only one she had to talk to. Now then. Brave Wing, you're going to take first shift. We'll pull them day by day alright? It's only until we have more recruits. It's going to be tough though. Do you think you can take a full day and night's work Brave Wing?"

The young lieutenant grinned enthusiastically and saluted.

"Sir yes sir! Anything you can throw at me sir!"

---

Defender fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit his pillow that night. Yes, he went to bed at night. He was scheduled to go with Luna to Ponyville, but she had cancelled it last second. Apparently, the pony of whom she was going to see understood. He didn't mind. He preferred it, in fact. This way he could be wide awake when they went next week and nothing could sneak past him. Brave Wing was with her now, guarding her. He'd seemed ecstatic when she'd practically pulled him into her quarters to talk. Probably something to do with a change of pace when it came to conversation. She'd seemed much more enthusiastic than she was with Defender. But then, one can tire of apples after a time and need a different fruit to help tide them over. And when you've had the taste of something for so long without anything else, new flavours always taste sweeter.

And so Defender dreamed. For a while, he was worried about being replaced. He WAS the original midnight guardian, but that went away after a time, replaced with memories of his time in Coltsvale and his framing and subsequent exile. It didn't worry him anymore, he'd had that dream a million times now. One day he'd go back and capture the true culprits, but until then he was content where he was.

Then it all changed.

The haze clears. He's in a familiar room, an almost comically large bed contained therein and a verandah in place of a window. A large telescope sat out on the verandah and the room was a mess of clothing and a few soft, cuddly toys.

Luna's room... What am I doing here?

He looked around, curious. The room was empty except for Luna herself, in bed. He frowned. Why would she be in bed so early at night?

The room lit up with daylight and he grimaced.

Oh, that's why.

She woke up, blearily. He smiled. Gods above she was adorable when she slept. She had a cute habit to curl up in her sleep, much like a cat, normally around her favourite toy which was...

Yep, There it is. Celestia in all her velvety plush glory.

The Celestia plush toy was being cuddled quite fiercely by the younger alicorn. As the light hit her eyes she grumbled and opened her eyes blearily and saw him, watching over her. She smiled at him and held out a hoof.

"Defender, my knight. Come, comfort your princess, remind her just how much better it is to sleep accompanied by a strong stallion rather than a soft toy."

He paused, considering the offer.

Oh hay, why not? It's only a dream right?

He smiled and reached out to her. Their hooves reached for each other, yearning, begging.

If it's what my princess wants, who am I to deny her?

He started as his hoof passed straight through hers and she sighed.

"Thou dost not love thine princess, so thou canst never join her in such a way. Besides, thou art but a lowly guard, what dost thou have that others do not?"

"No..."

As he watched, the Luna of his dream faded slowly, hoof still outstretched.

"No, please don't leave..."

In time, she faded completely from view, torturously slowly, inciting tears from the wayward Pegasus guard, reducing him to begging.

"Oh Luna, please don't go... please..."

There was a gut wrenching, heart breakingly terrified scream and...

"Defender! Wake up boy, wake up!"

Defender's eyes shot open in alarm and he sat up explosively, pushing Stonewall away. He was breathing heavily and he could feel tear trails on his cheeks and tears in his eyes. His coat was damp with sweat. If the glow from the closed curtains was any indicator, it was roughly midday.

"Are you alright boy? I can only guess at what you were dreaming, you were sobbing in your sleep and at the end you started making noises, which is when I figured I should wake you up. What happened boy, are you alright?"

Defender looked at Stonewall, wide eyed.

"Luna."

Defender busted into Luna's room, combat ready and stopped. Luna was fast asleep in her bed and Brave Wing looked over at him with a mug of coffee, a confused look on his face. When he spoke, he whispered softly.

"Defender? What are you doing here? Your shift isn't scheduled to start for several hours at least!"

Defender struggled to find an excuse, a response to what he'd just done. He sat down and took a deep breath.

"I... couldn't sleep. I wanted to test your reaction for if somepony burst in unannounced."

Brave Wing looked sceptical, but he answered in that context anyway.

"Well, I was seconds away from throwing hot coffee at you, if that's any sort of consolation."

The older stallion snuffed a laugh and nodded quietly to Brave Wing.

"Well, Whilst I'm here I may as well take over."

Brave Wing glared at him.

"Stalwart Defender. I have a good eight hours left on my shift."

Defender nodded.

"So?"

"So go get some sleep."

"But my shift-"

Brave wing held up a hoof and pointed to the door.

"Go and sleep Defender, you look terrible. And remember, for each hour slept you can stay awake longer and be more alert! Don't want a tired guard making a mistake now do we?"

Defender paused, and smiled.

"Had to throw that back at me didn't you?"

"Yep. Now go sleep. I've got this."